This week there was an assembly at my kids' school. There were three performers who brought African dancing and drumming alive. At one point, the woman invited a dozen students up on stage to learn a dance about the rite of passage from young girls into women. It was a celebration of integrity, comportment, and beauty.

 

I enjoyed watching the woman as she led these emerging young girls in a swirl of strength and rhythm. The jembe players swathed their motion with vibrant sound. The laughing girls drew power from each other, as they swung their shoulders and hips. 

 

It was a slender window into African culture. They have a ceremony to honor feminine attributes. In pondered whether there is anything similar in American culture, I came up empty. There are events, like piercing your ears, or prom night, but those are devoid of any personal growth. 

 

Some parents give their daughters purity rings as a symbol of chastity. I found a sweet example of this in the movie Courageous.

 

In California we had a group of women who created something for our daughters. At the onset of menses we gathered a circle of older women, grandmothers, daughters and friends for a special evening. Each mother crafted a unique celebration for her daughter. In one we each brought a lovely bead to be strung on a necklace, along with a wish for the girl. In another we each wove a fresh flower into a crown for her to wear. Sometimes we took turns brushing her hair, or singing to her while telling stories about a time we listened to our own perception. It was a precious way to honor her and magnify feminine qualities.

 

I am already planning a special night for my twins.